Preparation of soles for attachment to shoes



July 30, 1940'. w. P. LE RETTE PREPARATION OF SOLES FOR ATTACHMENT TO SHOES Filed April 4, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 30, 1940. w. P. LE RETTE PREPARATION OF SOLES FOR ATTACHMENT TO SHOES Filed April 4; 193a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jul 30, 1946 p 22 9 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PREPARATION OF SOLES FOR ATTACH MENT TO SHOES William P Le Bette, Lynn, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N. 5., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 4, 1938, Serial No. 199,854

10 Claims. (01. 12-17) This invention relates to improvements in the shoe are reflected as objectionable marks on the methods and machines employed in preparing tread surface of the sole, making necessary subseoutsoles forattachmentto shoes. Theinvention qu t e y bo o finishing p a s- M ch is herein illustrated with special reference to the the same results are obtained if the attaching manufacture of shoes .having cement attached pressure is increased or even if such pressure is 5 outsoles and, more particularly, to shoes having maintained'on dry soles for a protracted period, outsoles attached by means of pressure-responas would-be required forthe cementto cure suffisive rubber-like cements, such as the non-malciently to ho d e margin o h S e a t its ,odorant polymerized chloroprene taught in United he ent resi ience.

"10 States Letters Patents Nos. 2,061,296 and 2,087,- Accordingly, it is a principal object of the pres-- 10 878,.granted November 1'7, 1936, and. July 20, 193.7, ent invention to provide-an improved method and respectively, on applications filed in the name of practical means for p p an OutSOle that Walter H. Wedger. its margin is initially placed in substantially the .As taught in said patents, polymerized chloroform it is desired to have it assumein the finished prene cements for sole attaching have been deshoe, thereby eliminating tendency for e" veloped which obtain a highly flexible joint and a' sole to change materially iitS -1'e1eti0nShiD t0 the bondapproximately fifty per cent. stronger than shoe bottom when the attaching pressure is apat present, obtainable with the .best of th pyplied, it being understood that to itheextent the .roxylin adhesivesso extensively employed for atsole margin does not become distorted under the taching soles to compo shoes. Moreover, the sole attaching pressurait'willihaveno tendency 130-20 bond initially obtained .between the surfaces carh nge it -re a i ns ip o e sh ewhen the ole .rying polymerized chloroprene (that is, the bond attaching p s ei r s so that he j obtained when the surfaces are first brought totionable cement legs will not be formed. Furgether) 'is stronger than that obtained with pyther objects .willappear from the following speci- 23 roxylin cement even, after several hours and fiCetiOII- sufliciently strong so that the sole attaching pres- Referring to the accompa y d w Which vsure may be safely released immediately after the m a par Of h p c fi cemented surfaces have been intimately pressed F g. 1 is a perspective viewzshowing e rounded together, which isa great advantagetinthe quanoutsole, CO ed 01 mOlded .in the Shank 0r 3 tity production of shoes,'permitting the shoes to Waist portion to the desired longitudinal and to bepromptly completed and making unnecessary transverse curvatures, and carrying a coating of a large number of sole attaching presses. cement at the margin of its shank and forward However, this latter advantage has heretofore po tions; been realized only where the soles have been at- Fig. .2 is a view similar to Fig. :lshowing the tached while quite moist or in sufiicient temper to same sole with the marginal portions of its shank .35 render them substantially inert, as otherwise the and fo epart bent in the direction of its attachmargin of the sole, wrapped up over the feather ing face in accordance withmy invention;

.line of the shoe by the conformable pad of the Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged usual sole attaohingpress, will return to its norca e ta e on t line III-J11 of 40 mal condition. A dry sole will spring back upon 4 is a cross-sectional view of my improved v. 10

release of the soleattaching pressure, due to the sole member, similar to Fig. 3, sh wi the e anormal resilience inherent in dry sole leather, tionship of the sole to the bottom of ,a lasted with the result that the rubber-like cement is shoe having an upper of moderate thickness;

stretched slightly to form a great number of short Fig. 5 is a V w e 4 Showing t S me threads, spoken of as legs, which appear as a sole member in combination with a similar shoe 45 dirty gray line the crease of the shoe defined having an upper of considerably greater thickbetween the marginal portion of the sole and the ness; and upper. It will be appreciated that it is of great Fig. 6 is an elevational view illustrating means practical advantage to be able to attach soles in a for imparting the desired form to the sole marsubstantially dry condition and to remove the gin. v.50 shoe from the sole attaching press promptly. Incarrying out my invention, I first provide'a Where the soles are attached while wet, they contread sole. ll] of leather, rounded to proper size form so closely under the attaching pressure, usuand shape and preferably molded or conformed ally about eighty pounds per square inch, that toimpart the longitudinal and transverse shank pp even small irregularities in the bottom of the curvatures desired,the margin of the sole being roughed or abraded and having cement applied thereto, as illustrated at H in Fig. 1. If desired, the sole may be reduced on its fiesh side in the shank portion, as shown at l2, and may be split at the heel portion to provide a heel breast flap I l. The sole may also be reduced about the forepart margin preliminary to the roughing and cementing operations. When the sole is conformed in the shank portion, as shown, this may be done either before or after application of the cement, but where polymerized chloroprene cement is employed, I prefer first to apply the cement and thereafter, when the cement has dried, to conform the shank. On the other hand, if a pyroxylin adhesive is used, it may be found preferable to conform first and apply the cement afterwards. The conforming operation may be performed in a machine of the character illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 1,939,750, granted December 19, 1933, on an application of E. E. Winkley. All the foregoing operations are usual in preparing soles for cement attachment, and the exact manner and means by which the soles are to thi extent prepared are well known to those skilled in this art.

In accordance with my invention, the margin of the sole is progressively bent in the direction of the attaching face throughout both its shank and forward portions, the operation commencing near the heel breast line at one side and progressing through the shank, about the forepart, and through the margin of the shank portion on the opposite side of the sole. In this way, a continuous and substantially even upturn of the edge at the juncture of the forepart and shank portions is insured in cases where the shank portion has been molded or conformed, avoiding the formation of ears or marginal irregularities such as occur adjacent to the break line of the sole when the margin is progressively turned in the forepart only and the conforming operation is depended upon to position the edge at the shank or waist. It will also be apparent that, were the margin to be progressively turned or molded in the shank and forepart prior to a shank conforming operation, the latter operation would destroy the effect of the edge turning operation in the shank and impart instead a different effect peculiar to itself, producing ears adjacent to the break line of the sole where it is commonly most difficult to obtain proper edge conformation.

Where the sole is to be attached by means of pyroxylin and carries cement of that character, the margin may be turned in a turn sole molding machine of the usual type, such as the machine illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 1,059,394, granted April 22, 1913, on application of J. E. Reid, to conform the attaching surface of the margin approximately complemental to the transverse edge curvature of the shoe, thereby facilitating the operation of locating the sole relative to the shoe preparatory to attachment and mitigating the subsequent tendency of the edge and margin to distort when the attaching pressure is applied and to spring back when such pressure is released. However, while such approximate conformation is helpful where slippery and comparatively slow setting cements such as pyroxylin are used, the bond effected instantaneously by polymerized chloroprene is such as to prevent any shifting of the sole relative to the shoe bottom after the start of the application of the attaching pressure, with the result that at any points where the sole margin may be undermolded, it will be deformed under the attaching pressure and will spring back when the pressure is released, creating an objectionable gray line of cement legs in the crease of the shoe, while at points where the sole may be overmolded, the sole margin is distorted under the attaching pressure to form irregularities called loops in the tread surface of the sole opposite the cement joint, and the edge of the sole is wavy or undulating. In other words, where the cemented margin of the sole is overmolded, it will engage the cement-carrying overlasted margin of the upper before the central portion of the sole comes into proper bottoming position, and the marginal bond is so instantaneous as to prevent the sole from bottoming except by distortion of its fibers. I have found that it is impossible from a practical shoemaking standpoint to premold and conform the margin of the sole to complement exactly the shoe bottom at the edge or feather line due to the fact that different shoes made on the same last will vary as to their transverse edge curvature, depending upon the thickness of the upper materials, and that even in a single shoe the convexity at the edge will vary due to differences in the combined thickness of the upper materials occasioned, for example, by seams, box toes, etc. Moreover, the means heretofore available for progressively molding the sole margin comprise rolls having curved faces between which the sole is engaged, and as the sole turns about between such rolls, the fibers are distorted to shape the margin differently at different parts, depending upon the changing curvature of the sole edge. For example, as the sharply convex toe portion of the sole passes between the rolls, the roll portions engaging the inner section of the margin must crowd or portions engaging closely adjacent to the edge must slip. Conversely, as the sole margin at opposite sides of the concave shank passes between the rolls, roll portions engaging inner marginal sections must slip or portions engaging adjacent to the edge must crowd. In this manner, different molded effects are obtained at different portions of the margin and the edge thickness of the'sole is condensed to varying extents, obtaining an uneven edge.

Therefore, I prefer to bend the sole margin along a line l5 spaced inwardly of the edge, thereby to define a marginal flange N5 of uniform width having a face ll without transverse curvature at its attaching side disposed at a uniform angle to the adjacent portion of the im'ier surface of the sole, as distinguished from the transversely curved flange faces formed by turn sole molding machines. A flange of this character is particularly preferred where the cement is pressure-responsive and obtains an instant bond which prevents slippage of the sole relative to the shoe in the attaching press, for example polymerized chloroprene cement. The attaching face of the flange extends at an angle of about 145 to the adjacent surface of the sole, such face being approximately tangent to the transverse curvature at the edge of the shoe bottom, so that when the sole is attached it will engage the edge of the shoe evenly and closely. I have found that for best results the linealong which the margin of the sole is bent should closely correspond to the edge of the insole of the shoe, although it may be spaced slightly outwardly of the insole edge where the upper of the shoe is exceptionally thick or somewhat inwardly of the insole edge in the case of very thin uppers. It'is all) - desired to point outthat, although the flange is defined by asharp bend or, crease along the line .I5, on the attaching face, no corresponding line or. mark is formed on the tread surface of the sole margin, which curves gradually toward the sole .edge.

In Fig. 4, indicates a last carrying a lined upper 2|, the overlasted margin 22 of which is secured to the insole 23, the space between the outsole "land the insole being occupied by filler 24. Like characterswith an exponent indicate similar or, identical parts in Fig. 5. By reference to Figs. 4 and 5, it willbe clear that the sole margin, flanged as above described, will be tangent to the transverse curvature of the shoe bottom at the feather line. regardless of normal variations in the thickness of the upper materials. These figures show lasted shoes in which the insoles, outsole and lasts. are identical, only the thickness of the upper and filler material being different, and it will be noted that in both views the flanged sole margin lies closely against the feather line of the shoe and will so lie entirely about the shankand forepart portions regardless of normal variations in upper thickness, a result which I have found .unobtainable where it is attempted to mold the sole margin concavely to correspond with thetransverse edge curvature of the shoe. Also, since the flange is disposed at a constant angle relatively to the adjacentportion of the body of the sole about the shank and forepart portions, no ears or irregularities are formed at the break line of the shoe, while the sole edge, being uncompressed and undistorted, retains its full thickness.

Thus, although no attempt is made to shape thesolemargin accurately to fit and complement thev transverse curvature of the edge portion of the shoe bottom, nevertheless the flange l6 conforms,mcre evenly and obtains better edge character inthe finished shoe than if soles having molded margins are attached, with the result,

that when the attaching pressure is applied, the relationship of the sole to thesho'e bottom remains-practically unchanged, no distortion of the sole margin being observable and, therefore, when the, pressure is released, there is no appreciable spring back of the sole margin and no cement legs are apparent in the crease between the upper and the sole of the shoe.

To form the flange I6, I prefer to turn the margin progressively, and this may be readily accomplished by gripping the margin of the sole inwardly of the edge at one side of the shank near the heel breast line between the edges of oppositely rotatable wheels, bending the body of the sole at the desired angle to the thus engaged margin, and rotating the wheels to feed the margin between them while supporting the sole in its bent relation, the operation proceeding first along the margin of the shank at one side, then continuously about the forepart and then along themargin of the shank portion on the opposite side ofthe sole. In this manner, a continuous even and uniform flange is produced at all marginal portions, including the portionadjacent to the break line of the sole.

Forthis operation I have provided a machine, as shown in Fig. 6, comprising a pair of wheels, and 3|, respectively, cooperating to grip and feed the margin of .a sole Sbetween them in combinationwith a support 32 for holding the body of the sole at an angle to its margin when engaged between the wheels. The wheel 30, which is the feed wheel, is securely mounted on the end of a power shaft 33=rotatable in abearing 34, and has a knurled edge of a thickness less than the breadth of the marginal flange desired on. the sole. An edge gage 35 is. clamped on thebearing 34 by a screw 36, a horizontal slot at 31 providing for adjustment of the gage to permit the formation of soleflanges of diiferentbreadths.

The supporting wheel 3| has a slightlybeveled edge face of greater breadth than that of the wheel 30 and is supported on the end, of a shaft 38 freely rotatable in a bearing sleeve 39 carried rigidly on a slide 40, a collar 43 pinned onthe rearwardly projecting end of the shaft serving to retain theshaft in the sleeve. The slide is supported for vertical movements in guideways 4| formed in a bracket 42 depending from the bear: ing 34. The link rod 44 of a treadle 45 ispivotally connected to the slide whereby the slide and the supporting wheel 3| carried therebyjmay be elevated and held, as shown, to'clamp the sole margin against the edge of the feedwheel. Upon release of the treadle, the slide and the assembly carried by it will drop until the lower end of the slide abuts against the bottom of the guideways, as will be readily understood.

The solesupport 32 is carried by the sleet e39, which is provided with aboss 46 having an arcuate slot formed therein to receive the similarly curved and slotted arm 47 of the sole support, screws 4848 serving to secure the arm in different desired positions so that the sole engaging surface may be disposed at various angles tothe edge faces of the wheels and soles may be formed having flanges extending at different angles.- In this connection, it is desired to pointoutthat the radius on which the slot 46 1s curved has its center located near to the outer periphery at the top of the supporting wheel 3|,- or-approxlmately at the location where the sole margin will be bent, and the sole engaging surface of the support lies in a plane radial to the same center, so that when the support is adjusted to different angular positions, it will, in effect, pivot about the bending point of the sole and maintain a large area in contact with the tread surface of the sole.

In use, the margin of the sole is inserted under the feed wheel 30 with its edge positioned against the edge gage 35. The treadle 45 is then de pressed to raise the slide 40 and to grip the sole margin between the edges of the wheels, the support 32 at the same time engaging the body of the sole and bending it upwardly at the desired angle in relation to the engaged margin; Rotation of the feed wheel 30 then propels the sole to flange the margin progressively and uniformly. It will be noted that during this operation the attaching side of the sole margin is not engaged at theedge of the sole by the relatively thin feed wheel and that the outer peripheral edgeportion of the sup porting wheel, due partly to its bevel, does not engage the sole, with the result that the extreme marginal portion of the sole is not compacted and the tread surface of the margin is free to stretch and assume a gradual bend over aconsidI- erable cross-sectional area. 3'

Further in accordance with my improved method of preparing soles for cement attachment, I prefer to apply the activator or solvent for the cement progressively as the sole. margin is bent or flanged, thus saving a separate, operation or, considered in-a different aspect, obtaining the flanged margin without adding to the number of operations required to be performed, since .the solvent must in any case be applied. Asidefromthe economy afforded by this feature of my method, other practical advantages result. For example, it will be appreciated that the solvent could not satisfactorily be applied "before flanging the margin of the sole, as the sole would then be in a tacky condition, difficult to handle, while, were it attempted to apply the solvent after formation of the flange, the flange would create an impediment to the proper application of solvent. Furthermore, application of the liquid solvent restricted to the attaching surface: margin of the sole obtains a tempering effect, softeningthe leather flbers along the line of bend so that they will bend readily without breaking, and as the solvent dries out of the sole, the margin holds its bent or flanged condition without any appreciable tendency to spring back.

Accordingly, I provide my improved machine with means for applying solvent or activator to the margin progressively as the margin is flanged, the means illustrated comprising a brush 50 suitably supported on the machine for engagement withthe work at the operating location, the solvent being conveniently supplied by a tube 5! extending into the bristles of the brush, substantially as illustrated. In this manner, a separate operation is obviated with the further advantage that the solvent tempers the leather at precisely the time when and place where tempering is most effective. However, it will be understood that where cements of a character which do not require solvent or activator are employed, such 'as'l'atex cement, the cement rather than a sol- 'vent may be applied in the course of the edge bending operation.

Additional claims covering the improved outsole and the method of making it are contained in a divisional application filed March 13, 1939, Serial No. 261,479.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

'-1.-In methods of preparing soles for cement attachment to shoes, that improvement which comprises applying a fluid coating about the margirl of the sole member on its attaching face and turning the edge portion of the sole in the direction of said attaching face progressively as said "coating is applied.

-2. In methods of preparing soles for cement attachment to shoes wherein a fluid activating agent is applied progressively along a cement carrying surface about the margin of the sole member, that improvement which comprises bending the margin of the sole in the direction of its attaching surface progressively as the activating agent is applied, said bending being restricted to a line spaced inwardly of the sole edge and corresponding to the edge contour of the insole of a'shoe to which the sole is to be attached.

' 3. In methods of preparing soles for cement attachment to shoes, that improvement which comprises engaging a marginal portion of a sole inwardly of the sole edge between peripheral edges of oppositely rotatable wheels, bending the body of the sole at an angle to the marginal portion thus engaged, rotating the wheels to feed the sole margin progressively while supporting the sole in said bent position, and applying .a fluid coating about the margin of the sole progressively as it is fed.

4. A machine for flanging sole margins comprising coacting wheels for gripping the margin of a sole, one of said wheels being driven to feed the sole, a gage for determining the position of the edge of a sole gripped between said wheels,

margin, means .for rotating at least one of said 1 feed wheels to' flange the marginal portion of the 'sole progressively around its periphery, and means coacting with said sole margin adjacent to said feed wheels for coating the margin.

GL'A machine for flanging sole margins comprising cooperating feed Wheels for gripping the opposite surfaces of a sole adjacent to its periphery, a bodily movable bearing for one of said feed wheels, a support mounted on said movable bearing having a surface for holding the body of the sole at an angle to its gripped margin, said surface being spaced apart from the feed wheels, and operator-controlled means for moving the bearing and the support to grip the margin of the work between the feed wheels and to flange said margin.

7. A machine for flanging sole margins comprising a wheel for engaging the attaching surface of a sole adjacent to the edge thereof, means for clamping the sole margin against the edge of said wheel, a member positioned for engagement with the tread side of the sole having its sole engaging surface disposed at an angle to the edge of said wheel adjacent to said means, whereby the body of the sole is held at an angle to its margin, means for bringing successive portions of the sole margin into engagement with said wheel, and a fluid applicator carried by the machine and positioned to apply fluid to the sole margin closely adjacent to said wheel.

8. A machine for flanging sole margins comprising, in combination, a feed wheel, a supporting wheel, an adjustable gage for positioning the edge of a sole between said wheels, a support for holding the body of the sole at an angle to its margin, and means permitting adjustment of the support to different angular positions.

9. A machine for flanging sole margins comprising, in combination, a feed wheel, a supporting wheel, an adjustable gage for positioning the edge of a sole between said wheels, a support for holding the body of the sole at an angle to its margin, and means permitting adjustment of the support to different angular positions about a center located adjacent to the periphery of said supporting wheel at its top.

10. A machine for flanging sole margins comprising, in combination, a feed wheel having a knurled edge for engaging the attaching surface of a sole inwardly of the sole edge, a supporting wheel for clamping the sole margin against the feed whee-l, said supporting wheel having an outwardly beveled edge face of breadth greater than the edge of the feed wheel, a gage for positioning the edge of a sole between said wheels, a support positionedfor engagement with the tread side of the sole having its sole engaging surface disposed at an angle to the edge of said supporting wheel, and means permitting adjustment of the support to different angular positions about a center located'adjacent to the periphery of said supporting wheel at its top.

' WILLIAM P. LE RETI'E. 

